Door latch mechanism



Ap 1967 E. G. TRUDEAU 3,312,489

DOOR LATCH MECHANI SM F/G. l

EDGAR 6. 7/21/0540 INVENT R ATTORN EYS April 1967 E. G. TRUDEAU 3,312,489

DOOR LATCH MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 EDGAR G. TRUDEAU INVENTOR ATTORN EYS April 4, 1967 E. G. TRUDEAU 3,312,489

DOOR LATCH MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 EDGAR G. T/PUDEAU INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 1 Ofifice Patented Apr. 4, 1967 3,312,489 DUOR LATfl-l MECHANTEEM Edgar G. Trudeau, Taylor, Mich, assignor to Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich, a corporation of Delaare Filed Sept. 15, 1964, er. No. 396,691 12 Claims. (Cl. 292-48) This invention relates to latch mechanisms for swinging doors, especially the doors of automobile or other vehicle bodies.

Most door latch mechanisms currently in use on motor vehicles comprise rotatable or pivotal latch device means adapted to engage a striker or keeper device mounted on a vehicle door framing structure, a detent means releasably engaged with the latch device means to hold the latter in door latched position, an actuating or release member operatively associated with the detent means for disengaging the same from the latch device means, and manually operable means on the outside and the inside of the vehicle door operative to cause such disengagement. In almost all latch mechanisms of this general class, the manually operable means operative from the outside of the door acts on the detent means through the actuating or release member. The manually operable means operative from the inside of the door may be constructed and arranged to act directly on the detent means or through the actuating or release member. Most vehicles are provided with at least one front door which can always be opened from the inside of the passenger compartment even if the latch mechanism is conditioned so that the door cannot be opened from the outside.

Latch mechanisms may be categorized by the manner in which the manually operable means operable from the outside of the door is rendered inoperative to disengage the detent means from the latch device means, thus placing the latch mechanism in locked condition. This may be done by the use of a blocking means selectively positionable to block movement of the detent means actuating or release member. This may also be done by use of a disconnection means interposed in a train of members extending from the outer manually operable means to the detent means.

Reference may be made to C. F. Kramer US. Patent No. 2,987,336, issued June 6, 1961, for a latch mechanism exemplifying the type in which a blocking means is used to render the manually operable means inoperative to disengage the detent means from the latch device means.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a latch mechanism characterized by many of the features of the latch mechanism disclosed in the Kramer patent and which is further characterized by the inclusion of features of construction by which the means manually operable from the outside of the door, such as a handle, push button or the like operated means, may be operatively disconnected from the detent means. More specifically, the train of parts or members operatively associating the outside operator with the detent means includes a transmitting member interposed between the detent means and the detent actuating member but being shiftable relative to the detent means from a detent means actuating to a detent means non-actuating position, said transmitting member being shiftable by a lever operable from the outside or the inside of the door. A latch mechanism so constructed and arranged is said to be a free wheeling as distinguished from a blocked type. In other words, the outside operator is always responsive to manual manipulation regardless of whether or not the latch mechanism is in locked or unlocked condition, even though such manipulation of the outside operator is not effective in locked condition of the mechanism to cause disengagement of the detent means from the latch device means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a latch mechanism embodying a keyless locking feature. A latch mechanism embodying keyless looking is one in which the parts having the locking and unlocking function may be placed in locked position even though the door is open and the latch device means are in unlatched position. By proper manipulation of the outside operator during closing movement of the door, the latch mechanism parts can be made to remain in locked condition and the door will be locked against entry from the outside. In many conventional latch mechanisms provision is made for the latch device means upon being moved from unlatched to latched condition as the vehicle door is moved from an open to a closed position to kick or cam the transmitting member from the detent means non-actuating to detent means actuating position. The purpose of this is to prevent inadvertent locking of the door, and it is then necessary to use a key to operate the key locking mechanism to place the latch mechanism in locked condition. This so-called kick-out feature is usually applied to at least one of the front doors of a two door vehicle or a four door vehicle. With keyless locking, however, the proper manipulation of the outer manually operable means, such as by depressing the push button as would be done to normally unlatch the door, during the movement of the door from opened to closed position causes the kick-out mechanism to be nullified or overridden. The latch mechanism will then remain in locked condition during movement of the latch device means from unlatched to latched condition. The principle of keyless locking is known to the prior art, but has not been applied to a latch mechanism of the type embodying the present invention.

The major advantage to be derived from free wheeling latch mechanisms is that the latch mechanism parts,

particularly those in the train of elements between the outside operator and the detent means, may be made of much lighter gauge metal than the parts used in a blocking type lock. In a blocking type lock the parts must be made strong enough to withstand any force which might be exerted on the outside operator by means of a pry bar, hammer or other device which might be used to attempt a forceful entry through the door when the latter is in locked condition. It will be readily apparent that in a latch mechanism in which part of the train of elements may be disconnected, any force exerted on the outside operator by an implement of any kind is ineffective to distort or spring the latch mechanism parts to a degree sufficient to permit disengagement of the detent from the latch device means and the door to be opened. This, of course, applies to any impact the outside operator might sustain in a collision or upset of the vehicle. The use of light gauge metal results in manufacturing cost savings since less metal is used and longer metal stamping die life is obtained.

Other objects and advantages and the features of construction of the present invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the latch mechanism embodying the present invention as it would appear when mounted on a vehicle door, a fragmentary portion of the door being shown in dot and dash outline;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view in part sectional of the latch mechanism looking in a direction normal to the inner face of the free edge wall of the vehicle door;

FIG. 3 is a view in part sectional taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are elevational views in part similar to FIG. 2 illustrating parts of the latch mechanism in a second and a third operative position; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 2.

In the drawing there is illustrated, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the present latch mechanism, generally'designated 10, as applied to the door of an automobile body. Adapted to be secured as by means of screws (not shown) to the inner side of the free edge wall 11 of a vehicle door 12 is a latch mechanism support having a main plate 13 and a flange or second plate 14 which is adapted to be positioned along the inner panel of the door.

The present latch mechanism has a pair of pivoted latch devices comprising jaw elements 15 (see H6. 2) positioned at the outer face of the main plate 13. Each jaw element 15 is provided with a shaft or pivot 16 having a reduced bearing portion 17 extending through a suitable flanged aperture 18 in the main plate 13. The inner reduced end or bearing portion 17 of each shaft 16 is provided with diametrically opposed flats 19 thereon. Fitted over the bearing portion 17 and keyed thereto by the flats 19 are a pair of control plates 21 and 22. Each jaw element 15 is thus rigidly coupled to a control plate 21 or 22, being concentric therewith on a shaft 16. As defined herein, each latch device means comprises a jaw element 15,a shaft 16 and a control plate 21 or 22.

Each jaw element 15 is a substantially triangular plate member having its pivot axis located near its apex end. The side 23 opposite the apex end is outwardly rounded and is provided in the center thereof with a semielliptical recess: or enlarged notch 24.

Each control plate is a gear sector having teeth 25, the teeth being intermeshed to thereby couple the control plates 21 and 22 together for correlated movements. Both jaw elements 15 are thus controlled for counterdirectional swinging movement in unison toward and from each other into and out of door latched condition.

A spiral spring 26 is disposed concentrically with and adjacent the inner face of the control plate 21. The spring 26 is coupled at its inner end 27 to the shaft 16 carrying the control plate 21, the shaft having a slot or kerf 28 receiving the spring end. The outer or free end 29 of the spring 24 is looped over the edge of a slot 31 on the flange or second plate 14. The spring 26 is installed in a preloaded condition so that it at all times tends to rotate or urge the control plate 21, the shaft 16 and associated jaw element 15 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2. Since the control plate 21 is coupled to the control plate 22 through the gear teeth 25, rotative force exerted by the spring 26 on the plate 21 is transmitted to the plate 22 so that it is also at all times under a rotative force urging it, the shaft 16 and associated jaw element 15 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2.

The control plate 22 is provided with two peripherally spaced abutments or ratchet teeth 32 and 33. Cooperable with the abutment or ratchet toothed edge of the control plate 22 is a detent means, generally designated 34, pivotally mounted on a shoulder rivet 35 secured to the main plate 13. The detent means 34 has a plurality of arms. Of these, the arm 36 extends in a substantially horizontal direction across the main plate 13 from the shoulder rivet 35 toward the flange 14. The flange 14 is provided with an elongated vertically extending slot 37 (see FIG. 3) through which an extension 38 of the arm 36 projects.

The arm 36 has at its upper edge an abutment portion 39 cooperable with the teeth or abutments 32 and 33 on the control plate 21. When the detent abutment 39 is in engagement with the control plate abutment 32, the jaw elements 15 will be held in what is known as a secondary latched position. In other words, although they jaw elements 15 are not in a fully latched position,

they are closed sufliciently to engage a striker or kwper pin therebetween to prevent opening movement of a vehicle door. When the abutment 39 is in engagement with the control plate abutment or tooth 33, as shown in FIG. 2, the jaw elements 15 will be in final latched position or fully gripping the striker or keeper pin (not shown).

The detent means 34 is urged in a counterclockwise direction or so that its arm 36 is urged toward the control plate 22 by a spiral spring 41. This spring is anchored at its inner end 4-2 to the shoulder rivet 35 and at its free or outer end 43 to a short upwardly extending extension 44 of the detent means 34.

As shown in FIG. 1, the parts of the latch mechanism are in latched condition. That is, the detent means 34, through the engagement of its abutment 39 with the abutment 33 on the control plate 22, restrains or holds the control plate 22 and therefore the control plate 23 against movement in unlatching direction. Accordingly, the jaw elements 15 are maintained or held against movement in unlatching direction. It is thus necessary that the detent means 34 be swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, to permit unlatching movement of the latched jaw elements 15. The mechanism for moving the detent means in a clockwise direction in response to actuation of an outer manually operable means, such as a push button mounted on the outside of the vehicle door, comprises a detent actuating member in the form of a lever, generally designated 45, and a transmitting member or link, generally designated 46.

The lever 45 is pivotally mounted on a shoulder rivet 47 on the upper portion of the case plate 13. This lever has a substantially horizontally extending arm 48 and a vertical upwardly extending arm 49.

The transmitting member 46 is a link-like element which extends along one side and is somewhat longer than the vertical length of the case plate 13. Intermediate its ends the transmitting member 46 is provided with a generally longitudinally extending slot 51 which receives a pivot stud or rivet 52 anchored in the case plate 13. Stud 52 provides a pivot axis about which the transmitting member 46 may be swung; and the slot 51 accommodates substantially longitudinal up and down movement of the transmitting member 46, for a purpose to be explained. The transmitting member is coupled at its upper end 53 to the upwardly extending arm 49 of the lever 45. This connection between the transmitting member 46 and the lever arm 49 comprises a pin or rivet 54 secured to the upper end 53 of the transmitting member 46 and projecting through a longitudinally extending slot 55 in the arm 49.

Below the pivot axis defined by the pivot stud 52, the transmitting member has an extension 56 which is angularly related to the general longitudinal axis of the transmitting member 46. Extension 56 overlies a downwardly depending arm 57 of the detent means 34. At its terminal end, the extension 56 is provided with a flange 58 which is turned toward the case plate 13 and is adapted to abut the downwardly extending arm 57 should the transmitting member 46 be swung in a clockwise direction about its pivot 52 when the lever 45 and the transmitting member 46 are in the position shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lever 45 is adapted to be coupled by a rod 59 having its upper end pivotally secured to a bell crank lever 61. The bell crank lever 61 is pivotally supported on a bracket 62 which is part of a handle assembly 63 adapted to be mounted on the outer panel of the vehicle door. The bell crank lever 61 is responsive to inward movement of a push button (not visible) which is a part of the handle assembly. Inward movement of the push button is transmitted through a push button stem 64 and causes clockwise swinging movement of the bell crank lever 61, as viewed in FIG. 1. This raises the rod 59 causing clockwise swinging movement of the lever 45 about its pivot axis 47. Clockwise movement of the lever 45 is transmitted through its arm 49 to the transmitting member 46 causing the latter to be swung in a clockwise direction about its pivot stud 52. The flange 58 on the extremity of the extension 56 of the transmitting member 46 abuts the downwardly depending arm 57 of the detent means 34 causing the detent means 34 to be swung in a clockwise direction about its pivot axis, the stud 35. This 'results in a projection 39 on the detent arm 36 being moved out of the path of the ratchet teeth or abutments on the control plate 22. The control plates 21 and 22 and the corresponding jaw elements are then free to move to unlatching position.

The detent means 34 is adapted to be swung in detent disengaging direction from the inside of the vehicle door through a bell crank lever 65 pivotally mounted on a pivot stud 66 on the flange or second plate portion 14 of the latch mechanism support plate (see FIG. 3). The bell crank lever 65 has a substantially horizontally extending arm 67 which overlies the extension 38 of the detent means arm 36. The bell crank lever 65 also has a substantially downwardly vertically extending arm 68 which is adapted to be operatively coupled to a link 69 (see FIG. 1). The link 69 extends to a conventional remote control mechanism (not shown) mounted on the inner door panel. Upon actuation of the remote control mechanism to swing the bell crank lever 65 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, the arm 67 will abut the extension 38 of the detent means arm 36, thereby driving the abutment 39 out of the path of the ratchet teeth 32 and 33 on the control plate 22. The control plates 21 and 22 and the respective jaw elements 15 are then free to move to unlatched position.

Upon release of the remote control mechanism, the bell crank lever 65 will be restored to the position shown in FIG. 3 with upward movement of the arm 67 limited by a stop 71 lanced out of the flange 12 of the support plate.

As in any conventional vehicle door latch mechanism, provision is made for placing the latch mechanism in locked condition. That is, provision is made for preventing movement of the detent means out of engagement with the control plate 22 which with the control plate 21 holds the jaw elements in latched position. In the present latch mechanism this is accomplished by the provision of means for moving the transmitting member 46 downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shovtm in FIG. 4 in which the flange 58 on the terminal end of the transmitting member extension 56 is placed in bypassing relationship to the detent means arm 57. When in such bypassing relationship, swinging movement of the transmitting member 46 in response to swinging movement of the outer manually operable lever 45 is ineffective to impart movement to the detent means 34. As has been mentioned, the pivot 52 which mounts the transmitting member 46 on the plate 13 for swinging movement projects through a slot 51 in the transmitting member. The transmitting member 46 and the upper end of the arm 49 of lever 45 also have been described as having a pin and slot connection. This permits the transmitting member 46 to be shifted downwardly from its FIG. 2 position to its FIG. 4 position.

The downward shifting movement of the transmitting member 46 is accomplished through a substantially horizontally extending lever 72 pivotally mounted on a pivot stud 73 near the upper edge of the case plate 13. The lever 72 has an elongated arm portion 74 having a slot 75 therein. The shoulder rivet 54 which couples the arm 49 of the lever 45 to the upper end 53 of the transmitting member 46 also passes through the slot 75 in the end 74 of the locking lever 72. The slot 75 extends in a substantially horizontal direction so that its elongated edge walls move in a direction substantially transversely of the longitudinal axis of the transmitting memher 46. Therefore, if the arm 74 of the locking lever 72 is moved downwardly from its FIG. 2 position to its FIG. 4 position, the transmitting member 46 will also be moved downwardly from its FIG. 2 position to its FIG. 4 position.

As seen in FIG. 1, the locking lever arm 74 is coupled through a rod 76 to the bell crank 77 of a conventional key cylinder mechanism 78. Movement of the bell crank 77 in response to the insertion and turning of a key in the key cylinder mechanism 78 results in corresponding movement of the locking lever 72 from an unlocked position to a locked position and vice versa.

Provision is also made for moving the locking lever 72 from the inside of the vehicle door. The locking lever '72 has a second substantially horizontally extending arm 79 which extends toward the flange 14 and projects through a slot 81 therein. The end 79 of the locking lever 72 has interlocking engagement with one end 82 of a lever 83 pivotally mounted on a pivot stud 84 carried by the case plate flange 14. The lever 33 has an outwardly extending arm 85 which is adapted to be coupled to a rod 86 (see FIG. 1) which projects through the garnish molding at the top of the inner panel of the vehicle door. The rod 86 is capped by a knob 87 which may be gripped to move the rod 86 up or down, as

desired. When the knob is pushed down, the lever 83- is moved in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3 resulting in the locking lever 72 being moved in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, or in a direction to move the transmitting member 46 downwardly into detent means bypassing position.

In the present latch mechanism, the transmitting member 46 may be moved down to latch mechanism locked position when the vehicle door is either in an opened or a closed position and the jaw elements are correspondingly in an unlatched or in a latched position. The present latch mechanism embodies structures to ensure that if the transmitting member 46 is placed in locked condition when the jaw elements are in unlatched position, movement of the door to a closed position and the jaw elements to a latched position will not result in inadvertent locking of the vehicle door. The transmitting member 46 is provided at its outer edge with a flange 88 which is adapted in the down or FIG. 4 position of the transmitting member 46 to lie in abutting relation toan arm 89 on the detent means 34. If the FIG. 4 relationship of the flange 88 and the arm 89 are established when the jaw elements 15 are in unlatched position, movement of the jaw elements to latched position upon engagement with a striker pin or the like as the door is moved to a closed position' will result in the lower control plate 22 oamming the detent means 54 in a clockwise direction. The arm 89 of the detent means 34 will thus move upwardly causing it to abut the flange 88 on the transmitting member 46 whereby the latter will be kicked upwardly to its FIG. 2 position. To ensure that the transmitting member 46 will be kicked back to its FIG. 2 position or will be held in its FIG. 4 position when moved there by the locking lever 72, the toggle spring 91 is provided. Through the over-center movement of the toggle spring 91, the transmitting member 46 is urged and held at each end of the transient movement.

The provision of the transmitting member flange 88 and the detent means arm 89 gives the latch mechanism embodying the present invention a kick-out feature. This ensures that if the latch mechanism parts are placed in locked position when the door is open, and the door is moved to a closed position, the occupants of the vehicle will not be inadvertently locked out. Such an arrangement is usually provided on the front doors of vehicles, and in order to lock the vehicle door actuation of the key cylinder mechanism 78 is usually required.

The present latch mechanism further embodies a keyless locking feature. In keyless locking, provision is made for overriding the kick-out to prevent restoration of the latch mechanism'parts to unlocked condition when placed in locked condition with the vehicle door open.

The keyless locking feature of the present latch mechanism is achieved without the use of any elements other than those described above. With the parts of the latch mechanism as shown in FIG. 4, that is, in locked condition (it being understood, however, that the jaw elements are in unlatched position), to achieve keyless locking it is only necessary to actuate the push button (not visible) of the handle assembly by depressing the latter and holding it depressed as the door is swung from an opened to a closed position. When this is done, the lever 45 is swung in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position of FIG. 5. The transmitting member 46 is likewise swung in a counterclockwise direction and held in a position in which the flange 88 is out of the path of upward movement of the arm 89 of the detent means 34 (see FIG. 5). As the detent means 34 is cammed in a clockwise direction upon movement of the jaw elements from unlatched to latched position, the arm 89 of the detent means 34 will bypass the flange 88 and not result in the transmitting member 46 being kicked upwardly to its FIG. 2 position. As soon as the door is "fully latched the handle assembly push button may be released. This will result in the lever 45 being restored from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 4.

Although not previously mentioned, it will be noted that the pivot stud 47 on which the lever 45 is mounted also carries a spiral spring 92 having its free end 93 looped over a portion of the lever arm 48 of the lever 45 whereby the latter is always urged in a counterclockwise direction, asviewed in the drawings. Return of the lever 45 to its normal inoperative position results in the transmitting member 46- being restored to the position shown in FIG. 4. The door latch mechanism will now remain in locked condition. With k-eyless locking, it is assumed that the act of depressing and maintaining the push button handle assembly in a depressed condition as the door is moved from an opened to a closed position will trigger a memory response or will trigger a reminder to check to see that the keys to the vehicle had been removed from the ignition and are in the hand or pocket of the vehicle operator.

-It should be noted further that the latch mechanism embodying the present invention can always be operated from the inside of the vehicle door. The bell crank lever 65 is in direct engagement with the detent means 34. Therefore, regardless of the relationship of the transmitting member 46 to the detent means 34, the detent means can always be swung in detent means disengaging direction through operation of the bell crank lever 65 by the remote control mechanism mounted on the inner panel of the vehicle door.

The manner in which the jaw elements 15 coact with a striker or keeper device to hold a door in latched condition is substantially described in the aforementioned C. F. Kramer US. Patent No. 2,987,336. Whereas the Kramer patent discloses jaw elements 15 having semicircular recesses corresponding to the recesses 24 of the present latch mechanism, the recesses 24 have been described as being semielliptical. The jaw elements 15 of the present latch mechanism are adapted to coact with a striker or keeper pin'94 (see FIG. 6) which is elliptical in shape rather than being circular as in the earlier described patent. The elliptical shape is believed to give greater strength or resistance against any force tending to pull the striker or keeper pin from the jaw elements through the opening between the end portions of the jaw elements. This is particularly true when the jaw elements are in secondary latch position as occurs whenthe detent means abutment 39 is in engagement with the ratchet tooth 32 on the control plate 22. In this secondary latch position, the jaw elements do not firmly grip the striker or keeper pin and there is a degree of vertical movement permitted; The rattling noise that may ensue as the" vehicle is driven about is expected to call the vehicle occupants attention to the fact that the door has not been moved to a fully latched position. But it will be obvious that the gap between the outer end surfaces of the jaw elements will be greater under this condition. The elliptical striker pin seated in the elliptical recesses is expected to decrease any possibility that the striker pin may be pulled from between the jaw elements unon a sudden force being exerted against the door from the inside.

It may be noted that the support plate and its flange are provided with a number of slots, holes and lugs which do not have any apparent function. The latch mechanism that has been described is primarily intended for use on the front doors of vehicles but has been designed so that the same support plate may be used for rear door latch mechanisms. Therefore, some of the additional slots, holes and lugs are required for the rear door latch mechanism whereas some of the corresponding parts used in the front door latch mechanism will appear to have no function in the rear door latch mechanism.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes in the modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door,

a support plate, I

pivotal latch device means mounted on said support plate,

detent means pivotally mounted on said support plate engageable with said latch device means for holding the same in door latching position,

outer manually operable means including a lever mounted on said support plate,

an elongated transmitting member,

a first pin and slot means pivotally mounting said transmitting member on said support plate for swinging movement about a fixed pivot axis defined by the pin of said pin and slot means,

a second pin and slot means pivotally coupling said transmitting member to said lever for swinging movement of said transmitting member by said lever,

said first and second pin and slot means permitting 'shiftable movement of said transmitting member radially of said fixed pivot axis from a first position to a second position,

said transmitting member when in said first position having a part thereof in abutting relation to part of said detent means through which said transmitting member upon being swung about said fixed axis by said lever is operative to transmit movement of said outer manually operable means to said detent means to disengage the latter from said latch device means,

said transmitting member part in the second position of said transmitting member by passing said detent means part upon said transmiting member being swung about said fixed pivot axis by said lever,

said transmitting member in said second position thereby being rendered ineffective to transmit movement of the outer manually operable means to said detent means.

2. In a latch mechanism according to claim 1:

said transmitting member having a second part adapted to abut a second part of said detent means when said transmitting member and detent means first mentioned parts are in bypassing relation,

inner manually operable means pivotally mounted on said support for actuating said detent means independently of said outer manually operable means,

said inner manually operable means upon actuating of said detent means being effective to cause said second parts to abut and restore said transmitting member to said first position.

3. In a latch mechanism according to claim 1:

said transmitting member having a second part adapted to abut a second part of said detent means when said transmitting member and detent means first mentioned parts are in bypassing relationship,

said detent means through engagement of its second part with said transmitting member second part upon movement of the detent means independently of actuation by said outer manually operable means being operable to move the transmitting member from said second position to said first position.

4. In a latch mechanism according to claim 3:

said lever being operable when said transmitting member and detent means first mentioned parts are in bypassing relation to swing saidt-ransmitting member to a position in which its second part is out of abutting relation to said detent means second part thereby rendering said detent means upon such independent movement thereof ineflfective to shift said transmitting member from said second position to said first position.

5. In a latch mechanism for a swinging door,

a support plate,

pivotal latch device means mounted on said support plate,

detent means pivotally mounted on said support plate and engageable with said latch device means for holding the same in door latching position,

outer manually operable means including a lever pivotally mounted on said support plate,

an elongated transmitting member having a slot therein intermediate its ends,

pivot means on said support plate projecting through said slot mounting said transmitting member for swinging movement about said pivot means and for longitudinal bodily shiftable movement radially of said pivot means from a first position to a second position,

means connecting said lever to said transmitting member at one end of the latter,

said lever being operable to swing said transmitting member about said pivot means,

the means connecting said lever to said transmitting member accommodating the bodily shiftable movement of the latter from said said first to said second position,

said transmitting member when in said first position having a part thereof in abutting relation to a part of said detent means through which said transmitting member upon being swung about said pivot means by said lever is operative to transmit movement of said outer manually operable means to said detent means to disengage the latter from said latch device means,

said transmitting member part in the second position of said transmitting member bypassing said detent means part upon said transmitting member being swung about said pivot means thereby rendering said outer manually operable means inoperative to disengage the detent means from said latch device means.

6. In a latch mechanism according to claim 5:

a locking lever pivotally mounted on said support plate having a common connection with said outer manually operable lever and said transmitting member at said one end of the latter,

said locking lever being operable to shift said transmitting member radially of said pivot means from said first position to said second position, but being nonresponsive to swinging movement of said transmitting member and pivotal movement of said outer manually operable means lever causing the swinging movement.

7. In a latch mechanism according to claim 5:

said transmitting member having a second part adapted to abut a second part of said detent means when said transmitting member on detent means first mentioned parts are in bypassing relation,

said second parts coacting to cause movement of said transmitting member from said second position to said first position upon movement of the detent means independently of actuation by said outer manually operable means.

8. In a latch mechanism according to claim 7:

inner manually operable means pivotally mounted on said support for actuating said detent means independently of said outer manually operable means,

said inner manually operable means upon actuation of said detent means being effective to cause said second parts to abut and restore said transmitting member to said first position.

9. In a latch mechanism according to claim 8:

said lever being operable'when said transmitting member and detent means first mentioned parts are in bypassing relation to swing said transmitting memher to a position in which its second part is out of abutting relation to said detent means second part thereby rendering said detent means upon such independent movement thereof ineffective to shift said transmitting member from said second position to said first position.

10. In a latch mechanism according to claim 9:

a locking lever pivotally mounted on said support plate having a common connection with said outer manually operable lever and said transmitting member at said one end of the latter,

said locking lever being operable to shift said transmitting member radially of said pivot means from said first position to said second position, but being nonresponsive to swinging movement of said transmitting member and pivotal movement of said outer manually operable lever causing said swinging movement.

11. In a latch mechanism according to claim 7:

a locking leve-r pivotally mounted on said support plate having a common connection with said outer manually operable lever and said transmitting member at said one end of the latter,

said locking lever being operable to shift said transmitting member radially of said pivot means from said first position to said second position, but being nonresponsive to swinging movement of said trans mitting member and pivotal movement of said outer manually operable lever causing said swinging movement.

12. In a latch mechanism according to claim 11:

said outer manually operable means lever being operable when said transmitting member and detent means first mentioned parts are in bypassing relation to swing said transmitting member to a position in which its second part is out of abutting relation to said detent means second part thereby rendering said detent means upon independent movement thereof ineffective to shift said transmitting member from said second position to said first position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1964 Ger-goe et al. 292280 6/1965 Fox et al. 292216 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

I. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A LATCH MECHANISM FOR A SWINGING DOOR, A SUPPORT PLATE, PIVOTAL LATCH DEVICE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT PLATE, DETENT MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT PLATE ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID LATCH DEVICE MEANS FOR HOLDING THE SAME IN DOOR LATCHING POSITION, OUTER MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS INCLUDING A LEVER MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT PLATE, AN ELONGATED TRANSMITTING MEMBER, A FIRST PIN AND SLOT MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID TRANSMITTING MEMBER ON SAID SUPPORT PLATE FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIXED PIVOT AXIS DEFINED BY THE PIN OF SAID PIN AND SLOT MEANS, A SECOND PIN AND SLOT MEANS PIVOTALLY COUPLING SAID TRANSMITTING MEMBER TO SAID LEVER FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID TRANSMITTING MEMBER BY SAID LEVER, SAID FIRST AND SECOND PIN AND SLOT MEANS PERMITTING SHIFTABLE MOVEMENT OF SAID TRANSMITTING MEMBER RADIALLY OF SAID FIXED PIVOT AXIS FROM A FIRST POSITION TO A SECOND POSITION, SAID TRANSMITTING MEMBER WHEN IN SAID FIRST POSITION HAVING A PART THEREOF IN ABUTTING RELATION TO PART OF SAID DETENT MEANS THROUGH WHICH SAID TRANSMITTING MEMBER UPON BEING SWUNG ABOUT SAID FIXED AXIS BY SAID LEVER IS OPERATIVE TO TRANSMIT MOVEMENT OF SAID OUTER MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS TO SAID DETENT MEANS TO DISENGAGE THE LATTER FROM SAID LATCH DEVICE MEANS, SAID TRANSMITTING MEMBER PART IN THE SECOND POSITION OF SAID TRANSMITTING MEMBER BY PASSING SAID DETENT MEANS PART UPON SAID TRANSMITTING MEMBER BEING SWUNG ABOUT SAID FIXED PIVOT AXIS BY SAID LEVER, SAID TRANSMITTING MEMBER IN SAID SECOND POSITION THEREBY BEING RENDERED INEFFECTIVE TO TRANSMIT MOVEMENT OF THE OUTER MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS TO SAID DETENT MEANS. 